Foldable box



y 29, 1951 c. MICHETTI 2,554,677

FOLDABLE BOX Filed Aug. 16, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Laws C Meme-7'77 a mmmmfl Patented May 29, 1951 FOLDABLE BOX Louis C. Michetti, San Francisco, Oalifl, assignor to: Noble Andre, doing business as Andre Paper Box Company, San Francisco, Calif.

Application August 16, 1947, Serial No. 769,052

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to folding boxes of the type in which the sides of the box and the bottom are folded flat for shipment or storage, and are adapted to automatically outfold to set-up form upon moving the sides to positions extending at right angles to each other.

Boxes have been made heretofore that will accomplish this result provided certain of the bottom flaps are glued together so that opening of the sides Will transmit a positive downward pull on the bottom flaps. Prior attempts have also resulted in an undesirable number of angularly extending free edges being exposed on the upper surface of the bottom which is objectionable for certain purposes, such, for example as florist boxes.

One of the principal objects of the present inventlon is the provision of a folding box that is adapted to be unfolded from a flat folded position into a set-up form with the bottom and sides at right angles to. each other and which box overcomes the above objections.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a folding box of the snap-open type which requires only one point of pre-securementof the parts of the blank forming the box.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a blank from relatively resilient semi-rigid sheet materialfor forming a flat folded box that is of a more simple construction than heretofore, and in which blank and folded box bottom flaps are provided that are unsecured to each other by glue, staples, cement, or any other means, but which flaps are so arranged as to automatically mOVe into interlocking relationship at right angles to the sides of the box under the inherent resiliency of the material and movement of the box sides to rectangular position relative to each other.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in the drawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the box is formed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the first-step in folding the blank to form the-box.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the next step of securing ends of the blank together.

Fig. 4 is a modified. form of end structure. in which the end tab can be; secured to the inner surface of one side of the box: insteadrof the outer surface.

Fig. 5 is a top edge view oi the completed box. in folded position with the box partially opened: to show the positions of the interlocking tabs: on two of the bottom flaps.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the folded box of Figs. 3, 5 unfolded to its set-up position, with certain portions broken away and in cross section to show structure.

In detail, the blank from which the box is formed comprises a strip of relatively resilient semi-rigid sheet material such as cardboard, cellulose acetate, or other plastic or composition material having similar properties. This strip is formed with a plurality of parallel, spaced folding creases I, 2, 3 extending transversely across the strip defining a pair of equal length sections 4', 5 and a pair of equal length sections 6, 1 in alternate arrangement longitudinally of the strip, the section 4 being one of the end sections between one end of the strip and the folding crease I and section 1 being the opposite end section of the strip between folding crease '3 and a narrow glue flap 8 and the crease 9.

Section 6 is between sections 4, 5, and section 5 is between sections 6, 1'.

These sections 4' to 1 inclusive form the four lateral sides of the box when the glue flap 8 is secured to the opposite end of the strip and the adjacent sections of said strip extend at right angles to each other.

able means may be employed as a medium for securement of said flap to the other end of the main strip.

The sections 4, 5 are of the same size and shape and will form two of the opposite sides of the box when the latter is set up, while sections 6, l are also of equal size and will form the other two sides. The sections 4, 5 and sections 6, 1 may be of the same size, but in oblong boxes one pair is longer, longitudinally of the blank, than the other pair.

Along one of the corresponding edges of the sections 4 to 1 are bottom flaps III, II, l2, IS. The flaps I 0, H are integral with sections 4, 5, while flaps l2, l3 are integral with sections 6, l.

The flaps in each instance preferably extend substantially the full length of the section to which it is secured, although, as later will be described, the flap I!) which is farthest the glue flap 8 maybe of slightly less width should it be desirable to glue the flap 8 to the inner side of the opposite end section 4 so as to conceal it.

said flaps when the blank is fully open as seen.

in Figs. 1, 2 and before the blank is fully folded with the ends of the same secured together.

These recesses are preferably identical in shape and so only the fiap ID will be described in detail at this point. The recess I4 is generally of V- shape with the open side at the divergent ends of the V and the apex I6 is preferably positioned at a point centrally of the length of the flap. I8 in direction longitudinally of the blank, which point is also at a distance midway between the length of the section 6 or I in direction.longi-, tudinally of said blank. I

The one side or edge I! of the V-shaped recess that is nearest the section 4 is preferably parallel with the adjacent edge of said section, and

4 of the sections 4 to I as seen in Fig. 2 in which the flap III overlies section 4, flap I2 overlies section 6, fiap II overlies section 5 and flap I3 overlies section I.

The next step is to fold the end section 4 and its flap I along crease I over the section 6 and flap I2. :As the section 4 andfiap II] are longer in the particular blank illustrated than the section 6 and flap I2, the said section 4 and its section In will also extend partially over the section and its bottom flap I I as seen in Fig. 3.

' flap overliethe section 5 and fiap II. The glue lines I to 3 and is also defined by a folding crease I8, while corresponding longitudinal extensions.

I9, 20, 2| of crease I8 also define the junctions between flap I2 and sectionB, and between flap II' and section 5, and between flap I3 and section I.

The opposite edge 22 of recess I4 preferably curves outwardly relative to edge H from apex I6 to a point close to the outer end thereof, and it then terminates in'a generally circular edge 23 connecting with the outer edge 24 of flap ID that is parallel with crease I8.

The edge 22 defines the innerv edge of a tab 25, while edge 24, or part of the latter, forms the opposite edge, with the edge 23 defining the end of said tab.

The end edge of that portion of flap III that is flap B when in this position will overlie the end marginal portion of the section 4 and is glued to said portion. Flaps II] to I3 will be between the opposed lengths of the blank strip consisting of sections 4 to I when the glue fiap 8 is secured to the said end marginal portion of section- 4.

- Thefolded blank as seen in Fig. 3 is nowcompleted, and upon unfolding or outfolding the sections 4 to I so as to square up the said sections for forming the four sides of the box, the bottom flaps will automatically move to horizontal positions forming the bottom of the box with the flaps I0, I I interlocked so as to support the contents of the box, while flaps I2, I3 overlie the interlocked flaps I0, II.

between the tab 25 and crease I8 is obliquely .7

formed at 26 joining the edge H to one end of the crease I8, while the opposite edge of the flap I0 is obliquely slanted as at 21 to join the outer edge 24 to the opposite end of crease I8.

The flaps I2, I3 which are along the folding creases I9, 2| are preferably substantially rectangular and of the same shape and size. They are also preferably the same width of flaps I0, I I in direction away from the folding creases I9, 2| but they may be longer or shorter as desired.

Along the edge of the blank opposite the aligned creases I8 to 2| the sections 6, I may respectively be formed with extensions 29, 30 while the sections 5 may be formed with an extension 3|.

The extensions 29 to 3| are integrally joined with the sections 5 to I along a folding crease 32 that is parallel with creases I8 to 2|.

The extensions 29, 39 are of the sameshape and size and are preferably substantially rectangular, and the extension 3| is also substantially rectangular. These extensions '29 to'3I are cover flaps and extensions 29, 30am adapted to fold to positions above and in opposed relation to the bottom flaps I2, I3 when the box is set up, while flap 3| is adapted to overlie said flaps 29, 30 and to extend completely across the upper side of the box. A strip 33 along the outer edge of flap 3| is adapted to fold along folding crease 34 when said flap is in box closing position for overlying the upper marginal position of the section 4 either inside or outside of the box when the box is in set up position;

While the cover flaps 28 to 3| have been described in detail, these maybe omitted and a separate and separable cover formed in the conventional manner for closing the'box. The type of cover above described is, in itself, commonly employed in prior boxes of this general type.

In forming the folded box the flaps III to 'I3 are first folded along creases I8 to 2| to one side The inherent resiliency of the material of the blank tends to constantly and yieldably urgetheflaps I0, I I away from the sections 4, 5 after folding along creases I8, 20 and the same thing happens to flaps I2, I3 after folding along creases I9, 2|. The flaps I2, I3 tend to spring away from the sections 6, I. When the folded blanks are in a stack and folded fiat, it is obvious that the flaps I 0 to I3 will be held substantially fiat against the sections to which they are secured. However,

yy extending at right angles to line :ca: (Fig.

5) so that only a slight further opening of the boxtoward a position squaring the adjacent pairs of sections 4 to I with each other will result in the tabs 25 moving into overlapping relationship,

whereby the final movement of the sections 4 to I to rectangular relationship will result in the flaps moving to interlocked position with the apices I6 substantially together as seen in Fig. 6. As soon as the flaps I0, II are horizontal or in interlocked relationship, the flaps I2, I3 are free to spring to coplanar relationship overlying the flaps II], II. Flaps I2, I3 can be of a length to meet at the center of the box, thus covering the flaps I0, II and forming a substantially smooth upper surface for the contents of the box.

In the form of box so far described, it will be seen that the single glue flap 8 is on the outside of the box. In'position said flap on the inside of the box, the iiap 40 (Fig. 4) which corresponds with the flap II) of Fig. 1 must be slightly cut away along the free end edge of said flap so as to permit the said flap to pass the glue flap 8 when the section 1 and said flap are folded over against section 5 and flap II (prior to the folding of section 4 and flap I0.

Obviously the glue flap 8 may be on section 4 instead of being on section 1, in which case the flap !3 would be shortened instead of flap H) as to permit the glue flap to be on the inside of the box instead of being on the outside.

It is to be understood that the detailed description and drawings are not to be considered as being restrictive of the invention to the precise details so described and shown, inasmuch as the said description and drawings are merely illustrative of the preferred form. For example the exact contour of the edges of flaps I0, I I may be varied. The edges 22 may be curved instead of being straight, and the edges 26 may be perpendicular to the edges I1. Other variations may be made without departing from the invention.

I claim:

A folding box fOl'lIlEd from a blanlr of semirigid sheet material folded along parallel crease lines to provide four lateral side walls,said side walls being secured together for folding fiat with two pairs thereof in opposed relation and for outfolding to open rectangular position, a pair of bottom flaps respectively secured to two of the said side walls that are in opposed relation when said side walls are outfolded, said pair of bottom flaps being offset relative to each other in substantially edge to edge relation and respectively secured to one of the side walls of each of said two pairs when said side walls are folded flat, complementary recesses formed in the adjacent edges of said flaps when in said edge to edge relationship opening toward each other, tabs formed on said flaps outwardly of said recesses relative to the side walls carrying said flaps, the inner edge of each tab curving outwardly to the free end of the tab and forming the outer edge of each recess, the free ends of the tabs being in almost edge to edge meeting relationship when the box is folded flat whereby said flaps will engage each other upon movement of said side walls to outfolded position and will interlock with each other in a position closing the bottom side of the box.

LOUIS C. MICHETTI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

